The invention relates to a relay, in particular for the high-current range, having at least one coil and a movable armature, which by means of the magnetic flux that can be generated in the at least one coil permits or interrupts a current flow via two main contact terminals, and having a current-measuring instrument for measuring at least the current, flowing via the main contact terminals, by means of at least one Hall sensor.
Particularly in the high-current range, relays often have a current- and measuring instrument, to enable detecting the current flowing via the main contact terminals. To that end, Hall sensors are used as a rule, as to measure the flowing currents not directly but indirectly, or in other words to enable detecting them galvanically separately, via the magnetic field induced by the current. However, the magnetic field is induced not only at the Hall sensor but at the entire relay. Because of the remanence effects in the relay, this magnetization can lead to mistakes in the current measurement. If the current direction in a magnetized relay of this kind is reversed, then the magnetic field generated by the current flow is attenuated by the magnetic field of the premagnetized relay. This is interpreted by the Hall sensor as an overly low current. The measurement precision of the Hall sensor or sensors is impaired considerably as a result.